Help with laptop error message please

Bean_Counter

Hi,

When I switch on my laptop these days, I am greeted with the following error message:

svchost.exe - application error
The instruction at "0xffbadd11" referenced memory at "0xffbadd11". The memory could not be "written."
Click on OK to terminate the program.

In addition when I go into control panel and click on windows firewall to make sure it is on, it says:

Windows Firewall settings cannot be displayed because the associated service is not running. Do you want to start the Windows Firewall / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service? (I click no because I have no idea what it is.)

Can anyone shed some light on what these mean? Thanks in advance.

waddler_8

Do you use an security suite that includes a firewall? If so, leave the windows firewall off. If not, click yes to the prompt to start the Windows Firewall / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service & see if it starts & windows firewall stays on.

It may be a good idea to initially scan the computer with your AV and the free version of Malwarebytes (Just run a Quick scan). Problems like this can sometimes be malware related.

Further info about your OS (version, 64 or 32bit etc) would be helpful.

Bean_Counter

waddler_8 wrote: »

Do you use an security suite that includes a firewall? If so, leave the windows firewall off. If not, click yes to the prompt to start the Windows Firewall / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service & see if it starts & windows firewall stays on.

It may be a good idea to initially scan the computer with your AV and the free version of Malwarebytes (Just run a Quick scan). Problems like this can sometimes be malware related.

Further info about your OS (version, 64 or 32bit etc) would be helpful.

Thanks for the reply and apologies for the delay in replying.

In answer to the your questions, I use Microsoft Security Essentials for my anti-virus, but without any firewall. I am using Windows Firewall only.

I clicked 'yes' on the ICS prompt and it came up with the message "due to an unidentified problem, windows cannot display windows firewall settings."

I have used MSE to do a full scan but it didn't come up with anything. I will look into Malwarebytes when I can get the laptop on-line.

My OS is Windows XP professional version 2002 with service pack 3, if that helps.

Thanks in advance for additional information to stop everyone fighting to get on one working computer!

waddler_8

Try the simple stuff first.

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_firewall_diagnostic/en-us

Bean_Counter

I managed to eventually get the thing on line. I downloaded the Malwarebytes and ran the simple scan - nothing detected. Coincidentally I ran the Microsoft Fix-It programme but that did not detect anything either.

So at present the laptop is working, albeit really slowly, although still can't access Windows Firewall.

waddler_8

We can do a more comprehensive look for malware if you'd like & rule that in or out.

Download DDS from the link below and save it to your desktop:

Link



After you've downloaded it and saved it to your desktop:

• Double click DDS to run it.
• When it's finished, DDS will open two logs:

1. DDS.txt
2. Attach.txt

Save both reports to your desktop.
Copy & paste the contents of just DDS.txt for now and post it here (you may need to split the log over separate posts)